Your lover should be your best friend; very few would disagree with that. Spouses who are also each other’s best friend have some of the strongest relationships because they know how to enjoy each other on a deeper level. Many of us have best friends who we dream of beginning a relationship with, but is it wise to take that step from best friends to lovers? If you have a friend you are considering moving into a relationship with, please consider the following:
Can you handle a failure? If you decide to turn your friendship into a relationship and that relationship does not work out, you could lose a lover and a good friend. If you’ve been friends for years, you may not want to risk such a strong friendship. What are your motives? Do you have an honest interest in your friend or are these feelings based on lust and curiosity? Sometimes our curiosity can get the best of us, but if you’re not feeling a true connection, why risk it for something physical? Does your friend feel the same? It’s easy to fall in love with a close friend, but if the other person doesn’t feel the same, it could make for a very awkward moment. You could actually scare your friend away. If you’re thinking about going into a relationship with your bestie, talk it over first. You may want to ask your friend if they’ve ever had an interest in you that goes beyond friendship. Remember, you don’t want to scare away a great friend, so take your time and choose your words wisely. Is it a natural transition? Why are you considering turning your friendship into a relationship? Is your friendship turning into something romantic naturally? The last thing you want to do is force a romance. If the relationship is slowly transitioning into something more, go with it if that’s what you want. The truth hurts. Your best friend probably knows a great deal more about you than any lover. This can be good and bad. Once the dynamics of your relationship change, some of those secrets may become issues with your new lover-friend. Are you comfortable with your lover knowing all of the many secrets that your bestie knows about you? If not, you may want to rethink a relationship with your friend.
Love is impossible to predict, as is life. You can’t help who you love, and most of the time you can’t fight it, but consider all of the possibilities before jumping in head first. You may be experiencing a misdirected passion for someone who is and should always remain a great friend.